May 9 (UPI) — The Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Sheldon Keefe after failing to advance past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the fourth time in his five-year tenure, the NHL franchise announced Thursday.
“Today’s decision was difficult,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said in a news release. “Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal.
“We thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best.”
The Maple Leafs went 46-26-10 and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division this season. They went on to lose to the Boston Bruins in a seven-game first-round series.
Keefe took over as Maple Leafs coach after Mike Babcock was fired 23 games into the 2019-20 campaign. He led the Maple Leafs to a 27-15-5 mark to end that season. They then lost in the qualifying round that postseason.
The Maple Leafs went 35-14-7 the next season en route to winning the Scotia North Division during the COVID-19 pandemic. They then lost in the first round of the playoffs.
The Maple Leafs won 54 games, tied for the third-most in the NHL, and totaled a franchise-record 115 points in 2021-22, before another first-round exit. They went 50-21-11 last season before being eliminated in the second round.
Keefe led the Maple Leafs to a 212-97-40 overall record during the regular season. The Maple Leafs went 16-21 in the postseason under Keefe.
The Maple Leafs, who are set to hire their seventh different head coach since 2005-06. They advanced past the first round just twice since 2003-04.
Treliving said the Maple Leafs will start immediately to search for a new head coach.
